IMHO: This is the MOST SIGNIFICANT suggestion posted in this thread.

Fontana, NAM, & "that lawyer club" should be ashamed of the pitiful lack of access provided for folks that can't get around as easily as most. :thumbsdown:

 

And I think you should be ashamed for the tone of your post. This is not an issue that was brought up and intentionally disregarded. To my knowledge it hadn't been brought up before.

Now that it has I can assure that this is being looked into (ask Dr. Who). No one should be ashamed for the efforts that were put into this year's events. It is incredibly unfortunate that Dr. Who and others had a difficult time getting around. But this was not the willful act of anyone to make life harder and any accusation otherwise is without merit.

 

As one who is mildly physically challenged, I was bothered that access to events was difficult for the less-abled. At the Adventure Center, there is a ramp way to one side that allows access to transport chairs, but it is not easily accessible. AFAIK, access is federally mandated, so Fontana needs to bring their facilities up to date in that regard.

 

I agree that it should be more accessible... but in the organisers defence, it never came to my mind to have accessible venues at a car meet...

I am not sure about US law, but up here, the law pretty much applies to new buildings and ones that are being renovated...no renovation, no requirement to make it accessible friendly.

 

Granted, the facilities should already be in compliance with ADA regulations, but were the event organizers and/or facilities notified beforehand about potential accessibility issues? If not, it doesn't seem fair to be completely outraged. Perhaps it really has never come up in the past, and so no one expected it this time around.

 

Are you trying to get on my good side?

- There should be better access (including parking)
- MOTD didn't intentionally drop the ball
- MOTD will do better in the future

Fair enough

 

To Fontana's credit, the new owners and staff have done a huge amount of work to improve the facility. I'm certain that in the next year or so, everything will be back "up to snuff", with regard to being safety conscious and handicap accessible. What they have done with regard to redoing rooms and reconstructing walkways, etc. is a really nice change of pace from the old management.

 

Pretty much the same here.

Thinking back, the only two organized events at MOTD that were not easily accesible were the Drive-in and the BBQ dinner, both of which happened outdoors, so therefore fall outside the law.

IIRC, all common buildings at Fontana are accesible. The Inn has an elevator, the adventure center and general store have ramps, there is handicapped parking, although some was blocked by the vendors. However there was drive-up access to the side of the building for those that needed it.

The vendor area itself was held outside on mostly flat land. At times it may have been inconvenient, but most things were accesible.

That said, there can and will be a more conscientious effort made next year.

 

Just finished reading the whole thread. I have a few comments and observations and a couple of suggestions based on my involvement with some other groups.

First of all, to all of the volunteers, NAM, vendors, photographers, and anyone else involved with the event This was a way fabulous event.

Like a few of the others who posted, I am partially handicapped and found the access to be problematic. Yes there is an elevator at the lodge, it is also down 3 or 4 steps from the registration area. That is a problem. There is no (none, zero, zip) handicapped parking at the lodge, I asked and they could not point at any. Yes, there is a ramp to the adventure center from the small parking area to the E(?) of the building. I never found access to that parking to be available. I managed to schedule an install just in front of the Adventure Center for 5:30 p.m. Friday so I could deliver my beer to the swap without having to walk a half mile with it.

The Brew Swap, Monte Carlo Night, Movie, Midnight run and parade were all awesome, although I found the parade to be a tad on the 'spirited' side. When we started out, there was soon (within a mile) a significant gap behind me, I couldn't see anyone coming even on the riverside straight. That seemed to get resolved after we had to stop early on the dragon to let the truck by.

I think some of the animosity about the welcome/NSW dinners was the disparity with the raffle prizes. I think the daily prizes (at the dinners, not at the Brew Swap, Monte Carlo Night) should be organized so all of the registered attendees, not just the participants in the welcome / banquet / dinner at the grill could participate. That could happen in conjunction with an information booth, set up the raffle receptacles at the information booth, let the booth personnel sell additional tickets (if allowed), have a cut off time for depositing tickets for the daily(?) drawings, conduct the drawing at 5 or 6 p.m. and post the results.

For the really big donations (brake kit, sets of tires, etc.) that were in the drawing at the banquet, the first ticket drawn should get their pick of the big prizes, then the second gets their pick of what's left, etc. down the line. That way there is no potential dilution of a person's chances to get a big prize when they earned extra ticket(s) through attendance at the tire seminar by having their ticket picked early for a small prize.

On to the vendor/social dichotomy. I liked that the vendors were all in one area (detailing aside). I concur with what appears to be the feeling of the group to have the sales tents along the lower road, with installs in the lots up by the craft center. I washed my car after the parade Friday and then went and parked in one of those lots, along with a few vendor trailers, and gave Stirling a waxing (I was staying in Cherokee - a 45 minute drive away - so I didn't have anyplace else to park). While I was there, a couple of vendors came up to their trailers and did installs there so I know that is a viable area. Are those 2 lots enough? That will need to be looked in to. That would leave the upper roadway in front of the grill/adventure center with the angle parking to be used for socialization, bringing groups in for talks ala the lighting seminar or judging by groups like a mini concours.

From earlier comments, it seems like the food situation will be handled differently in the future, that is a good thing with growth to be anticipated. It is just necessary to find a way to let all of the registered attendees participate in the drawings, not just those lucky enough to have gotten tickets to the event.

I stayed an extra day, I didn't leave until Monday a.m. and on Sunday radioed at Fontana for someone to drive the dragon with me as a passenger so I could take a movie with a hand held camera so I could point the camera where I as a driver would be looking rather than having it fixed to the car and looking where the car was pointed. Xiek, the canadian guy, was kind enough to volunteer. (The results of the drive are posted on the Pitt server under my screen name.) I ran out of memory about 14 minutes into the run and Xiek posted earlier in this thread about our spending about 1.5 hours assisting around an accident involving 2 motorcycles. That is what community is all about. We were second on the scene (at least among those who stopped to help) and stayed until the site was cleared. I learned some things about driving the dragon from Xiek that day, and, because my background includes some national class t&d rally experience, I gave him a couple of tips. This goes to the 'experienced' drivers taking those wishing to learn on a dragon run, or even a run along 28 to the top of the dam and back to Fontana (1/2 hour max). I think that would be an excellent opportunity for both drivers and passengers.

My SO declined to participate even though I suggested that she could possibly find some other spice (isn't that the plural of spouse?) who would be interested in antiquing, at trip to Asheville, or a horticulture tour. I would have given up my car for a day (probably ridden with the Mini nut whose SO went with my wife) and reciprocated on another day. She attends local Mini club social events and (says she) has a good time, but 4 days + travel time is a bit much.

I guess my $.02 has expanded to about a nickle (dime?) but ...

Looking forward to next year, and yes I expect to volunteer for something, just don't know what yet

 

You learned from me? What? how to hold on for your life?? :P

 

Hopefully the programs will be unisex because Im a female and in the same boat. I dont think my husband would appreciate being stuck in with a bunch of wives all day either Maybe us ladies can organize a fishing trip for our husbands.

 

Just some little things about limits of adhesion you demonstrated, and the repair of permanent fingerprints in your paint from that holding on!

At least I didn't get sick like those motorcyclists that rode along at midnight.

 

Are you sure about that??

 

Well Genereally men don't like to be around wives all day.. but single women, I am sure he would have no problems with...

 

Ok then Ash, he can sit next to YOUR wife

 

Y'all just need to get your Spouses to be down with fun going on. Took Heidi a little while but now she loves the Dragon and other large scale MINI events.

No one says the Spouses all have to go to one spot either. They could pair off or go in small groups to any one of the attractions in the area.

 

It'd be like a wife swap!

Hold on, that didn't come out quite right...

 

Not sure if this has been mentioned --- Has anyone else been asked if they have a bike or Harley while wearing the 2007 MOTD t-shirt? I've worn mine twice since the Dragon and both times it has been mistaken for a Harley shirt. Maybe if the coloring on the front was changed it would not be so easily confused with the Harley logo.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank NAM, the orgainizers, the volunteers, and the vendors for putting on such a fantastic event.

 

What is it they say, that, "imitation is the highest form of flattery"? If that's true, then I certainly wouldn't be uneasy about wearing this year's MOTD shirt. In the past, the Harley crowd has always told us they LIKE us [MINI/Mini drivers], because WE "stay on our own side of the yellow line."

 

It's a beautiful shirt. My only complaint is that it's somewhere buried in the laundry pile.

 

I do agree that most MOTD shirts have a bit of a Harley or Ron John Surf Shop feel but most everybody seems to like them. Afterall, it is such a personal taste question and not everybody can or would want to wear shirts like I do.

 

Great pic.

 

I agree with the comments above. I have been to all of the past MOTD'S and it just felt like everyone was on their own. We spent more time with folks from our local area and did not get to mingle with folks from other parts because we did not have a central meeting place. More organized drives like in the past would be nice especially for folks that come by themselves that may not know others. Thanks to all those involved with putting this together. Thanks !!!

Don

 

Uh, yeah, the Inn has an elevator.....at the bottom of a flight of stairs. My husband has bad knees and I have arthritis in my back and hips. We had the big cart all loaded down with our luggage and when we saw the elevator at the bottom of the stairs, we just stood there in disbelief. One of the staff people came by and noticed us and summoned two men to come lift our whole cart and carry it down to the elevator. One of the men almost collapsed as he also has a bad back. This part definitely needs some attention. Other than that one area, we loved staying at the Inn.

 

Wherever the vendors end up, there'll be unique air about the place because it'll be something new. I suggest an award for "best" booth (most unique, best theme, etc). With a little friendly competition, you could develop a festival atmosphere.

Of course a lot of booths already have a great vibe to them; This year at least one had refreshments (you can always reward them with your wallet instead.)